


Follow It Down

by broken_hearted_bard



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, Episode: s05e22 The Gift, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-07 23:22:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1917939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broken_hearted_bard/pseuds/broken_hearted_bard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate Ending for The Gift (BTVS S5Ep22).<br/>Dawn's POV.</p><p>Posted: 7/7/2014.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Follow It Down

_If she died, would anyone remember her?_

She stands on the scaffolding, on the tower, high above the city. She shivers; the slightly slinky dress is no match for the wind up here. Blood runs and the portal will remain open until the blood stops. She wonders, briefly, if large, heavy bandages would count as stopped.

She's in pain. So much pain. There's more pain in the world, out there, as violent creatures from another dimension fall forward and into Sunnydale. She doesn't want the world to suffer because of her; because she was weak, or whiny, or because she couldn't deal and acted like someone with very little working neurons. She sniggers, slightly. It occurs to her that maybe delirium is beginning to set in.

Dawn looks back up, sobbing in pain, as Doc goes over the side of the tower. Buffy is coming for her.

"Buffy!" she screams. Tears streak down her face.

Buffy rushes forward. 

"Dawn," Buffy says. "I'm here. I'm here."

"It hurts, Buffy...it hurts," she says.

Buffy takes a deep breath and nods. "I got you. You're gonna be okay. You'll be okay, Dawn." Buffy cuts the ropes, releasing Dawn's arms.

She shakes her head. The portal is open; she doesn't think anything, least of all her, will ever be okay ever again.

The portal is huge. The city is suffering below them; things are crashing into buildings everywhere, fire has erupted and the screaming has started.

"It's starting," she whimpers. "It's destroying things, everything!"

Buffy shakes her head. "We'll take care of it, figure it out. I promise."

Dawn sighs. The blood loss is making her dizzy. She moves past Buffy and runs to the edge of the tower. 

So stunned by the movement, Buffy lets her pass without restraint. Buffy runs after her.

"What are you doing?" Buffy shouts.

"I know about the ritual. I have to jump. I have to jump, Buffy..." she says.

"It'll kill you!" Buffy cries.

She nods and her expression is a combination of sad and hopeful. "I know," Dawn says.

"No! Absolutely not!" Buffy yells. Buffy's face is full of anguish, rage and pain. Tears have clouded her eyes.

Dawn lifts her shoulders up and down. She smiles gently at her sister. "You have to let me do this," she says quietly. "Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop. You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood."

Buffy's eyes go wide and wary. A look of realization passes over her face.

Dawn flinches. "No, Buffy, no!" she exclaims. "It has to be me. Can't you understand? This is my destiny. You're the Chosen One, the Slayer. The world needs you. That's your destiny. This is mine!"

"Death is my gift," Buffy murmurs as she stares at Dawn's face.

"Maybe so," she replies. "But this is my destiny, Buffy and you can't take it from me. I have to. I have to go." She grips Buffy's hands and pulls Buffy forward into a hard hug. 

"Listen to me, Buffy, just listen. I love you. I will always love you. I am part of you," she says as she holds onto Buffy for a moment longer. "Take care of each other."

Dawn turns away and steps forward. One foot hangs over into the abyss of the portal. Over her shoulder she says, "The hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it. You can do it all, Buffy. You have to. Live. For me. Live."

She jumps.

The portal closes. Buffy looks out over the darkened sky. Tears rush down her face. She clutches her chest with one hand, the other is curled into a fist at her side.

A white light blasts the world and for a moment there is no sound, no world and nothing but bright, white light.

When it's over, Buffy's head is cocked to one side and she is frowning. She looks around at the tower. She shakes her head and descends.

On the ground, she approaches her friends.

Xander and Anya are staring up at the sky, holding each other.

Spike's head is in his hands as he kneels on the ground. He is bloody, nearly unconscious.

Giles' puts on his glasses and comes forward, grabbing Buffy by the shoulders. "Did it go okay?" he asks quietly.

Buffy nods. She shrugs. "We've got a lot of damage to clean up. There was a lot of screaming and a lot of demon activity, so we should get out there as soon as possible, to help."

Willow and Tara are holding each other close and Willow has a goofy grin on her face. 

Tara looks over at Buffy. She smiles and looks around. "Where's Dawn?" she asks.

Buffy raises an eyebrow. "I don't think it's time for dawn, yet," she says.

"Yeah, baby," Willow murmurs. "It's still night, honey...are you sure you feel alright?"

Xander gives Tara an odd look. Anya frowns. Giles removes his glasses to clean them on his shirt.

"N-no," Tara replies. "I meant...where is Dawn? Where did Dawn go? Is she still up there?"

"Dawn who?" Buffy asks.

***************************************************

 

END

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILER. Make sure you've read the fic FIRST.  
> SPOILER for the fic written above.  
> SPOILER. SPOILER.  
>  _Tara is the only one who remembers Dawn, because of what Glory did to her brain._


End file.
